My All-American Page #4

Thank you, sir.

We're moving you up.

Starting safety.

You'll be the first sophomore

starter I've had since Tommy Nobis.

And he was the greatest

player I've ever coached.

- I'm honored, sir.

- All right.

Now, there's a lot on you, son.

We wouldn't be making this move

unless we knew you could handle it.

- Yes, I can. I definitely can.

- Good.

'Cause this season it's gonna

be Texas smashmouth football.

Offense and defense.

- Can't wait.

- Glad to hear it.

(crowd cheering)

ANNOUNCER:
After a very disappointing

first contest with Houston,

we'll see if the Longhorns and their

newfangled triple option offense

can get on track here at Tech.

That was a bold gamble

which did not pan out.

No question. Coach

Royal is on the hot seat.

The fact is, the fans are restless.

If they don't win this game today,

you can just about write this season off.

Set! Hut!

Bill Bradley is really

struggling with this offense.

And yet another turnover.

COACH:
86, cover the flat!

- One, two...

- (cracking)

(chattering)

ROYAL:
Take a knee.

(chattering stops)

FRANK:
Listen up.

You are embarrassing

me, the coaching staff,

your family, the University

of Texas, its fans.

But most of all...

you're embarrassing yourselves.

Where in God's good earth

is your pride, gentlemen?

Is that how you want

people to remember you?

Mediocre?

There's a hell of a

fight going on out there.

We ought to get in it.

CAMPBELL:
Let's go!

- Yeah!

- Let's go!

Down! Set! Hut!

- Damn it!

- ANNOUNCER #1:
More of the same here in the second half, Phil.

I don't know what Coach Royal

was thinking with this offense.

PHIL:
It's a bit of a train wreck, Joe.

Where's Street?

Street!

- 16!

- CAMPBELL:
Street!

- Yes, sir?

- Get your helmet on.

- Sure.

- CAMPBELL:
Defense, get ready!

Get in there.

Yes, sir.

Hell, he can't do much worse.

What is this? We've got a change

here, Phil. New quarterback?

Coach called you out.

Joe, it looks like a

desperation move to me.

James Street is raw and unproven.

- JAMES:
Y'all wanna play some Texas football?

- (slaps leg)

JAMES:
All I ask is you guys

stick with me one play at a time.

Down! Set! Hut!

PHIL:
Street pitches it

to Koy. For a big gain.

There it go.

There goes Street. Spin move.

He got it!

Touchdown, James Street.

He got it!

Set! Hut!

(crowd cheering)

Touchdown, Steve Worster!

I guess it just needed the right

quarterback to make the triple option work.

Good read, James.

JOE:
That might be the

end of Super Bill Bradley,

one of the top quarterbacks in the country.

Replaced by a fourth-string

quarterback we've never seen before.

JOE:
Despite a strong

second half, Texas is winless

in the first two games

of the last two seasons,

and that hasn't happened in 72 years.

First to arrive, last to leave.

I like how quiet it is

before everybody gets here.

What are you reading there?

Uh, chemical engineering.

You are one of the darnedest

players I've ever seen.

Sure wish I had a lot more like you.

Yes, sir.

Looks like we're the

only ones left on the team

that still get our hair cut every week.

(chuckles) Yeah, yeah. You could be right.

Who is that young woman I

see you with all the time?

That's Linda, my girlfriend.

We've been together since her junior year.

Hmm.

I first laid eyes on Edith in high school.

Fell in love faster than a hiccup.

Well, I hope we end up together

as happy as you and Mrs. Royal.

Thank you, Freddie.

(chuckles)

I need to stop by and see you every day.

You just make me feel better about things.

Anytime, Coach.

My office.

(whistle blows)

Bradley's not here.

Probably already transferred.

PLAYER:
James, let's go!

Come on, Slick.

Throw me a pass.

I'm looking for a new position.

Let's go, gunslinger.

A run to the post. Hit me.

Yes, sir.

Hut!

(players cheering)

You all right, bubba?

Our quarterback! Hook 'em!

(cheering)

Let's get to work!

PHIL:
It's Steinmark again.

Up and over. Touchdown, Bertelsen.

Steinmark on the return.

He's got blockers, Joe. He's out to the 50.

He could go all the way!

- Touchdown!

- Whoo!

Street with a keeper.

He gets hit. Spins. Oh, another

touchdown for the Longhorns.

JOE:
The triple option offense, which

sportswriters are now calling the "wishbone,"

has changed this Texas team.

PHIL:
And defenses don't

know how to stop this offense.

The Longhorns will not be denied.

JOE:
Street to Speyrer, on the end around.

He breaks it upfield.

Touchdown, Cotton Speyrer.

Amen.

PHIL:
Another vicious hit by

Steinmark at the line for no gain.

JOE:
Well, after a horrendous start,

Texas has outscored

their opponents 320-134.

And has won the Southwest

Conference Championship.

What an amazing season for Steinmark,

leading the league in interceptions

and being named All-Southwest

Conference safety.

And if it was my vote, Texas

would be number one in the country.

(grunts)

- I've been looking for you.

- (grunts)

What is it?

Bobby just found out his

brother got killed in Vietnam.

(clamoring)

STUDENT (on bullhorn): ...in

the name of freedom must stop.

End the war.

STUDENT:
We are sick and

tired of our boys dying.

Hey, man, First Amendment.

Right to free speech.

To hell with your free speech.

Let him go. We've got plenty more.

Hey, war lover. War lover.

Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!

Hey! Hey! It's me. Hey.

- Mark's...

- I know.

I'm so sorry.

(sobs)

Come on. Let's go.

(chanting) No more war!

No more war! No more war!

(door closes)

He had such great plans for his life.

He was everything I wanted to be.

And nothing has ever hurt this much.

(sniffles)

Tell me why God takes my brother so young

with such a great life ahead of him.

I don't think anybody

can answer that question.

(sniffles)

You know, just because

you're not a religious person

doesn't mean you can't

pray at a time like this.

Well, if I did pray,

it would be to ask God

to bring my brother back!

I understand.

Look, I'm sorry.

- I didn't mean to yell at you.

- Don't be sorry.

You have every right to be mad

and yell all you want.

Doesn't do any good.

Nothing does any good.

Can you believe a man

just walked on the moon?

No.

It didn't even seem real.

Everything's changing so fast.

Yeah. In two years we'll be graduating.

And then?

NFL.

And?

What do you mean, "and"?

Is it still a boy and a girl?

No, it's three boys and a girl.

- Three?

- All right, fine. How about four?

- No, three.

- Four.

Four.

Thirsty.

- Ow!

- You okay?

(groans) Yeah. It's nothing.

- You sure?

- Bruised it playing softball.

I hope you don't read this bullcrap.

We do not care what other

people write about us.

We don't care what people

think we can and can't do.

Only those of you right here

can tell that story.

And, gentlemen,

I'm counting on it being a great story.

(cheering)

PHIL:
The University of California

should be a good first test.

JOE:
There hasn't been this much excitement

about Texas football in a long while.

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